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DEFENDING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA
October 26, 2000
World's top climate scientists' new Global Warming report presents a frightening forecast
A new report by the world's leading climate scientists paints a frightening picture of the Earth's climate unless we begin cutting global warming pollution now. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) raised the estimated temperature increases and stated clearly that human-caused pollution has already begun warming the globe.
In its 1995 report, the IPCC concluded that ""The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate." However, in the latest report, which was leaked today, the world's leading climate scientists now find that man-made pollution has ``contributed substantially'' to global warming and the earth is likely to get a lot hotter than previously predicted. Also, in the latest report, IPCC members revealed that temperature increase went up, from 1.8 F-6.3 F degrees 5 years ago, to 2.7 F to 11 F now. We are currently 5-9 F warmer than the end of the last ice age. A minimal warming of 2.7 F is very bad. 11 F would be devastating.
Other frightening facts from the new global warming report show that:
*The magnitude of the warming in the 20th century is likely to be the largest of any century in the past 1000 years for the Northern Hemisphere.
*Snow cover and ice extent have decreased with decreases of approximately 10% of the snow cover since the late 1960s adn a two week reduction in the annual duration of lake and river ice cover.
*Northern Hemisphere spring and summer sea ice extent has decreased 10-15% since the 1950s. It is also probable that there has been a 40% decline in Arctic sea ice thickness during the late summer to early autumn in recent decades.
*Warm stints of the El Nino/La Nina phenomena have been more frequent, persistent and intese since the mid 1970s.
*A rise in sea level of 0.14 to 0.80 meters is projected for 1990-2100, about 2 to 4 times the rate over the 20th century.
*Since 1750, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as increased by one-third, the amount of methane has increased by a factor of 2,5 and the amount of nitrous oxide has increased by 16%.
The report also observed and modelled changes in extreme weather patterns. Some of the results are:
*Higher maximum temperatures and more hot days will occur in most all land areas.
*More intense precipitation events will occur in many norther hemisphere areas.
*Higher minimum temperatures and fewer frost days will occur in most all land areas.
This study shows we don't have more time to waste cutting emissions. The United States has to drop the risky trading schemes we have been pushing because we wouldn't find out they don't work to cut emissions until 10 years from now and by then we'd need draconian emissions reductions to avoid disasterous effects of global warming.
"If you believe in God, I think it's hard not to be an environmentalist, because you see the environment as the work of God." -- Joseph Lieberman, at a campaign rally in Wausau, WI, 10/18/00
SPECIAL END OF CONGRESS ALL ACTION EDITION
TAKE ACTION: STOP ALL ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL RIDERS
TAKE ACTION: STOP ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE, PORK-BARREL WATER PROJECTS
TAKE ACTION: PROTECT YELLOWSTONE FROM DAMAGING SNOWMOBILES
TAKE ACTION: STOP ALL ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL RIDERS
In these final days of Congress, legislators are attaching new and damaging anti-environmental riders to must pass appropriations bills. Please call your Representative and Senators and ask them to oppose all anti-environmental riders. Following are details on some of the riders that threaten our environment.
STELLER SEA-LION RIDER: The Alaska delegation is trying to attach an anti-environmental rider that would stymie Endangered Species Act protections for the endangered Steller sea lion. Since the 1960s, the population of Steller sea lions has declined by well over 80 percent (140,000 in 1960 to 16,259 in 1998). The proposed rider would delay efforts to recover the Steller sea lion for at least two more years, placing them that much closer to extinction.
COASTAL RIDER: Supporters of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), a massive conservation funding bill, are trying to include provisions of that bill in CJS Appropriations legislation. While CARA-type funding was made available in the recently enacted Interior Appropriations bill, the coastal provisions of CARA were left to be handled in CJS appropriations. While such funding could enormously benefit our coastal environment, language currently under consideration by CJS appropriators would provide "coastal impact" assistance in a form similar to CARA -- and that could actually do serious damage to our coastal environment. The most recent proposal would allow coastal states to collectively spend tens of millions of dollars each year on environmentally damaging coastal projects and activities. And since negotiations are ongoing, we maintain concerns that incentives for new and damaging offshore oil production could be added as well.
SNOWMOBILE RIDER: An amendment that locks-in snowmobile use throughout our National Parks and threatens to derail the new National Park Service ban on snowmobiles. The amendment is an end run around laws, science and public process.
TAKE ACTION: STOP ENVIRONMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE, PORK-BARREL WATER PROJECTS
On Thursday, the House passed its version of the Water Resources Development Act. The bill contains provisions for restoring the Everglades, but unfortunately, it also authorizes some $5 billion for new water projects. Many of these project are a complete waste of taxpayers' money and will cause extensive damage to the environment. While the Sierra Club has no objection to the Everglades provisions, we strongly oppose environmentally-damaging water projects. Now House and Senate leaders are negotiating a final bill. The Senate should keep the Everglades restoration and cut the pork in the House bill.
Here are a few examples of problems with the bill:
-- It would dramatically increase the federal cost share of dredging harbors. Such changes will result in greatly increased dredging and dredge disposal activities with major adverse environmental implications, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
-- It allows the Corps of Engineers to pursue flood control projects that are not economically justified. It obligates the Corps to build projects at the request of the local sponsor, leading to an increase in development in floodplains. This would also remove individual responsibility to acquire flood insurance in these areas. Such a provision will inevitably increase the number and extent of flood disasters, human suffering, and the cost of federal disaster relief.
-- It dramatically expands the Corps mission beyond existing flood control and will likely lead to huge new demands for excessive beach re-nourishment causing significant environmental harm.
-- It gives a preference for mitigation for destruction of wetlands through mitigation banks, which may be some distance away from the destroyed wetlands, rather than nearby the project site. Mitigation banking should not be available for the Corps' massive impact projects.
-- It authorizes more than 200 new water projects, many of which have not received public scrutiny because the House bill never passed out of committee.
TAKE ACTION: Please contact your Senators and ask them to oppose the provisions of the House Water Resources Development Act other than Everglades restoration. Please call soon, as the House and Senate leaders are negotiating now.
TAKE ACTION: PROTECT YELLOWSTONE FROM DAMAGING SNOWMOBILES
Recently, the National Park Service announced its intentions to phase out snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park by the winter of 2003-2004. Snowmobile use causes air and noise pollution and disturbs wildlife. This decision can help curtail pollution, protect wildlife and restore natural quiet to winters in Yellowstone.
The Park Service is inviting the public to weigh in on this issue between now and October 31. Please urge the National Park Service to stay strong on their decision to protect Yellowstone from damaging snowmobile use. You can e-mail your comments to: yell_winter_use@nps.gov or mail them to: Clifford Hawkes, 12795 West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80228. See www.sierraclub.org/wilderness/ORV/ for more information.
"We don't have to sacrifice our environment and our environmental treasures to satisfy the appetite of big oil companies." -Vice President Al Gore, Speech 9/29/00
REPORT FROM THE FIELD
DC: Washington DC Activists Advocate for MetroRail Stop
ID: Idahoans Walk the Streets to Protect Owyhee Canyonlands
WA: Voter Education Literature Drop a Total Success
NC: Picnic, Rally and Voter Guide Distribution a success in NC-11
MN: Minnesotans Hit the Streets!
MI: Presidential Voter Education Press Conference Still Drawing Press
PA: Birdogging Candidate Bush with Tommy the Toxic Waste Drum
DC: Washington, DC Activists Advocate for MetroRail Stop
Saturday, October 14, hundreds of citizens gathered at a "Metro Festival" in support of building a Metrorail station in downtown Oxon Hill, Maryland, an inner suburb of Washington, DC. In the parking lot of John Hanson School, marked by an 8-foot tall archway emblazoned with "Oxon Hill Metro Plaza, a multi-racial group of adults and children painted a 40-foot model of quality stores to emphasize their resolve to "Build our own Metro" since officials have not.
Area residents rode a large amusement "Metro train," talked with MetroWoman, listened to speakers and a DJ, drew and painted posters, and viewed a hundred photographs of citizens advocating "Metro in Oxon Hill Now" and "Purple Line Now!" Strong community and diverse coalition support was evident at the event and the media turnout was good. Local television cameras for NBC4, Fox5, and NewsChannel8 appeared. Print media included reporters and photographers from the Prince George's Journal, Post, and Gazette, as well as the Washington Post Prince George's Extra, and the Washington Times.
ID: Idahoans Walk the Streets to Protect Owyhee Canyonlands
The Owyhee Canyonlands national monument proposal lit drop event proved to be an overwhelming success this past Saturday, the perfect knockout delivery in our one-two punch of the EPEC Owyhee Rendezvous base camp outing followed up by the neighborhood lit drop.
Approximately 120 activists helped distribute across Idaho a full 10,000 pieces of literature about the Owyhee monument proposal, with postcards to send to President Clinton and Secretary Babbitt. The response was so heavy in Boise that we literally had folks waiting at the site for others returning with extra brochures that they then could grab and take out on the streets. Activists also covered Twin Falls and Ketchum. Twin Falls was a "new market" for us to go into and all went quite well. Media coverage of the event was fantastic. I know of four newspaper stories, three radio interviews, a radio actuality story and local TV coverage.
WA: Voter Education Literature Drop a Total Success
Last weekend, Washington activists coordinated five lit drops covering the Puget Sound region and Clark County. Thanks to a perfect weather day, about 300 activists showed up. In Seattle, Seattle City Council member Greg Nickels roused the crowd with an energetic speech talking about the importance of the environment in the elections. All in all, they covered 185 precincts -- totaling more than 50,000 doors being covered!! They even had to make up extra precincts because too many volunteers showed up!
Our volunteers distributed 2 pieces each covering Gore/Bush, Gorton/Cantwell and whichever congressional district they were in (Inslee, Smith or Baird). They now have a bit of literature left, which will be sent to people who were interested but couldn't make it on Saturday. The Spokane lit drop will take place this coming Saturday, so they will add to their numbers there!
NC: Picnic, Rally and Voter Guide Distribution a success in NC-11
This Saturday North Carolina activists held an EVEC picnic and rally in Asheville to publicize the differences in the environmental positions of congressional candidate Sam Neill and his rival, Republican incumbent Charles Taylor. The picnic was fun and we had 50+ attendees. Following the picnic we had a short rally that was covered by the one TV station in town, WLOS (ABC) on their 11:00 news Saturday.
Following the rally, activists departed in groups of two with voter guides and tables in hand. They went to four area WAL*MARTS and one health food store. The best estimate is that Clubbers distributed approximately 6,000 voter guides on Saturday. All in all, it was a good culmination to the EVEC efforts in NC-11.
MN: Minnesotans Hit the Streets
30 Sierra Club volunteers gathered for an outdoor picnic Saturday morning then hit the streets to deliver voter guides throughout Congressional District 4. Activists reached 4,000 households in Arden Hills, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake and Roseville -- St. Paul's northern suburbs. The rest of the voter guides were mailed and/or delivered to other volunteers who could not be there Saturday. They expect all 5,000 guides to be delivered by the end of this week.
MI: Presidential Voter Education Press Conference Still Drawing Press
Michigan activists held a quickly-assembled press conference at the Club offices yesterday with one more voter education ad rollout announcement -- this time the Presidential ads running in Detroit. Sierra Clubber Alison Horton worried that they were getting close to the end of the media's ability to be interested in one more election ad buy -- but did get Michigan Public Radio, Booth newspapers, and Lansing Fox TV affiliate. The Public Radio coverage went statewide and was running repeatedly Thursday evening and Friday morning with various versions of the story that people in Michigan care about the environment and Bush's record is bad on the environment if you look at our voter guides. Public radio had been resistant to Sierra Club voter ed activity up to this point -- so she is glad they did this one more hit and secured their coverage.
PA: Birdogging Candidate Bush with Tommy the Toxic Waste Drum
Three Sierra Club activists had a successful birddogging outing at an appearance by George W. Bush at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, PA. We had the trusty "Tommy the Toxic Waste Drum" costume, worn at different times by Christiaan Adams, Adam Diamond, and George Emmons. All three of us were prevented from entering the site of his speech but we were able to pass out voter guides to people as they drove in. Christiaan was escorted to his car after trying to enter with the costume, and joined us outside. We got releases out to reporters from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Comcast Cable TV, the Bucks County Courier-Times, and two reporters from the Danish News Service. The TV crew got a picture of us in costume chanting "Clean Up Texas" and "We Don't need Your Texas Size Pollution in Pennsylvania," and holding signs.
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